hearing loss facts

A previous article discussed the differing qualification, licensure, and scope of practice between hearing aid dispensers and audiologists. This article will address the process of hearing and the causes of hearing loss. The Process of Hearing Sound vibrations move through the air like waves moving across water. Hearing begins when the vibrations reach the outer ear (1), which acts to funnel the vibrations through the ear canal (2) toward the eardrum (3). The inset (bottom) shows sound vibrations interacting with the eardrum, before transferring to a series of three tiny bones in the middle ear (4). These bones further amplify …